Victoria District Marriage Register of Upper Canada 1839-1858

By Dan Walker & Fawne Stratford-Devai

 The Victoria District was separated from the Midland District and included the present County of Hastings. Boundaries changed as the population grew. See the Background section below for those details.

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This book includes

• Complete transcription of the original Victoria district marriage register 1839-1858. 

Towns and townships where marriages occurred and were reported in the Victoria District Register include: Towns, cities and townships within Hastings County and Nipissing and adjoining areas wherein marriages were preformed by clergy whose own domicile was in Victoria District (Hastings County).  

Background: In May of 1838 the Victoria District was separated from the Midland District which included the present County of Hastings and Nipissing. Despite being officially created in 1838, the Victoria District would not be proclaimed until a Court House and jail were constructed and officials appointed. The Victoria District was therefore not proclaimed a separate district until 1839. Effective October 15th, 1839 marriage returns for the County of Hastings were required to be returned to the clerk of the Peace in the District town of Belleville. Returns were sent to the Clerk from the Clergy who performed the marriages, with the exception of Anglican and Roman Catholic ministers. However, many Anglican and Catholics settlers married in churches of convenience or by passing circuit riders when churches of their own faith had not been established yet -- the result is that many of those marriages appear in these District Marriage Registers.

By January of 1850 all Districts were abolished and the Victoria District became Hastings County.

In most districts the Clerk of Peace transcribed the information on the individual marriage returns into a book which became known as the District Marriage Register. However in the case of the Victoria District, the individuals returns did not appear to survive. This publication has been transcribed from the original Victoria District Marriage Register (1839-1858).

Check bordering Districts:  Complete District Marriage Register Series booklist  When searching for marriages recorded in Marriage Registers keep in mind that many returns were submitted by ministers who were circuit riders who often performed marriages at great distance from their home bases. Circuit riders reported marriages in the register of the District where they lived which was not necessarily in the same District where the marriage took place. That said, if you cannot find the marriage in the Victoria District register you would be well advised to search bordering districts such as the Newcastle District, Colbourne District, Prince Edward District, and the Midland District (original Midland Register has not been found as yet).

Related article: District Marriage Registers of Upper Canada (Ontario) 1786-1870 - What are they and why are they important?

Details:

164  Pages 
8.5" X 11" 
Maps
Index 
Originally published by Norsim, Toronto, 1995
This revised and updated edition with new maps and introduction published by Global Heritage Press, Milton, 2000 
ISBN  978-1-894571-40-1 (coil-bound edition)